Hello!

I was going to make some gel food tonite for the first time. I was so excited and I was going to have 2 of my DS help, they would love to make goop, (but don't we all )

So I went to get the ingredents which included baby food (peas, carrots), red peppers, brocoilli and tuna or shrimp canned. The problem I am having with my "project" is Salt! There is salt in all of my tuna, shrimp, salmon and crab meat. Can I use these canned items or should I buy frozen instead? If I buy fresh do I need to cook it first?

Thanks for your help!

Anita

I use plain old canned tuna - I use the kind in water rather than oil, but I don't think it matters as it is drained anyway. The salt is minimal and would not hurt them anyway.

Thanks Lachfa! Time to get cooking! If I start now it should be set-up for supper time!

Yumm

Anita

Red pepper??? Never heard of that one - is it your own recipe or did you find it somewhere?

I read using red peppert in a recipe I found via this forum. It called for 3 red peppers but it was a HUGE batch. I was only going to use about a tlbs worth, but my peppers have gone soft. If I won't eat it, they shouldn't have to either! Not that I'm going to eat the finished product, ewww!

I just finished making my first batch! I used baby food. 2 jars each peas and carrots, 1/2 cup canned baby shrimp (the dog got the rest) and 1 clove of garlic. I blended the shrimp and garlic with enough water so it would blend then stirred in the rest, following the directions on the gelatin packet. I'm just waiting for it to set-up. I wanted to put in some of my goldfish flakes, but I forgot! LOL

I have a worm bin (indoor composting using red wiggler worms) and was thinking of maybe feeding my goldfish some of these as a snack. Do I have to...erm...cut the worms up first? (again I say, ewww!!)

I let you know how the food turns out.

Anita

One more thing, how much of this gel food do I feed my goldfish?

Thanks

Anita

How big are the worms? I get earth worms in my pond all the time and the fish don't choke on them. I would say drop one in and see what they do.

Here is the recipe I use:
1 cup cooked veggies (or baby food)
1/2 can tuna or shrimp or what ever protein you want to use
2 packets unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup warm water

I pour it into a 9x 13 pan lined with saran wrap. After it sits up I score it with a butter knife, then freeze it. Then I break it up and put it in a butter container and leave it in the freezer. I usually cut it in 1/2 inch squares and feed 3 to my 6 big fish once a week. And cute one of the squares into 4 and feed one to my betta.

Thanks for the recipe! It's great to meet people who don't think I'm nuts for making food for my fish!

I am hoping to use gel food every day. A main part of my goldfish diet. I do need to get some vitimins (sp) to add to the food so my fish will be very healthy!

You feed the gel food to your Betta, do you think I could feed this food to my Tiger Barbs? Right now all they get is flakes and freeze dried worms.

I'm so excited!

Anita

I don't see why you couldn't......

I also feed mine frozen - it holds together better and gives everyone a chance to eat.

I feed my fish a varity of different foods. Flakes, pellets, dried shrimp, worms, crumbles, gel, fresh veggies......

I wouldn't see why you would need to add vitamins, veggies are full of vitamins. I would hold off on the carrots and other orange foods if your fish are colors other than orange too.

Red wriggler worms only grow to about 2 or 3 inches. I could use worms that weren't full grown.

That is great that you feed your gel food frozen. I was wondering how I would thaw mine because my fridge just crapped out.

I want to feed fresh fruits and veggies as well. I want to be able to clip the piece of food to the side, somehow, to make it easier to remove the uneaten bits. My tank is very deep.

One of my goldfish is named Goldie. This is why I added the carrot, hoping she will get brighter lol ! My other goldfish (Jamie) is orange, black and white. I don't know what will happen with her.

Anita

You can clip the food with a plastic clip and hand it over the edge of the tank with a string and pull it out when you want to remove it.

The calico fish my lose some of the white - it may turn a more yellowish white or it may not affect it at all. I have a pure white fish that is yellowish so I try to avoid the color enhancing foods - but I think he is just going to be that way. :crp

I have a redworm composter set up too. I hand feed mine whole live redworms from time to time.

DataGuru---Thanks for posting that! It might be a bit like feeding my pets to my pets, but I'm sure after I do it a few times it won't be so hard! Much easier than cutting them up! Bllleeeckk!

Anita

Yea, I have a bunch of LITTLE redworms and my goldies are getting big, so it's real pain to try and find the bigger redworms. Tried waxworms last nite. May try to culture those.